It's a good thing I don't live at the beach...

...because I'm pretty sure I wouldn't ever get anything done, other than sitting in a rocking chair on the porch!

Two weekends ago, we spent the weekend at a beach house with some friends.

We've all been friends for the better part of 10 years.  This is the third vacation we've taken together.  

Some might balk at the idea of 8 adults and 7 children in one beach house.  That's just because you haven't been on vacation with people as cool as us!

A.J. took a walk on the beach the first night we got there.  He refused to get that close to the water again for the rest of the weekend.

The beach is the best place for small boys who like nothing better than to dig in dirt.

 

Sunrise yoga on the beach.  Despite evidence to the contrary, I promise I'm not a hippie.

The beach house had portholes!

Who are those giant children?

I repeat, boys + sand = happy.

Trader Joe's Day!

At 7am, Azina and I got in the car for an hour-long drive to The Woodlands.  Very few things would induce me to get up at that hour on a Saturday to go to The Woodlands.

But this is one of them!

This store opened yesterday!

Though we were moderately concerned about the spectacle we might encounter, we were pleased to discover that the crazy was apparently confined to yesterday. 

We had allowed ourselves 2 1/2 hours before we needed to leave for a birthday party.  We accomplished this cart (including checkout) at a leisurely pace in merely an hour and a half.

We would be delighted to share the wonder that is Trader Joe's with any of you!  When do you want to go?

"Open the gates and seize the day..."

One of the best parts of watching my kids grow up is sharing with them the things I loved when I was growing up. 

Superman?  Check.

Animaniacs?  Check.

College World Series?  Check.

Muppets?  Check.  (Hey, Jason Segel, thanks for your help on this one!)

Books too numerous to mention?  Working on it.

Star Trek?  Working on it.

Tonight, Azina suggested watching "Newsies."  I was torn, as this is the opening day of the aforementioned College World Series, but we opted for the movie. 

"Newsies" came out in 1992.  I never saw it in the theater (going to the movies was not something we ever did growing up), but I remember watching "behind the scenes" specials on tv before the movie ever came out.  I watched and waited until the movie arrived on VHS, then we rented it from the grocery store.  (Baker's on 132nd & Center, if that means anything to you.)

Obviously, after renting the movie, I had to own it.  I think it was a Christmas present one year.  Right around the same time, I got my first portable CD player, and my mom called around to different record stores until we found one that could order the "Newsies" soundtrack on CD for me.  That was one of my first CDs.  I still have it.

I don't think I can even estimate the number of times I've seen this movie.  It's one of those movies that I've seen so many times that some of the dialogue can be heard in my everyday speech (without the New York accents).

Long story short, the girls loved the movie.  And I loved watching them watch the movie.  As much as you can never experience something for the first time again, watching your kids experience something for the first time comes pretty close. 

Have you ever seen "Newsies?"  Don't be surprised if I'm singing the songs for the next few days!